How does satellite internet work?

We are in the 21st century and there is no denying that access to the Internet is no longer an exception to become a necessity of our daily lives. Whether it’s communicating, informing, studying or having fun, the worldwide web is there and can make (and much) of all these tasks easier.

There are several types of internet connection, such as radio, ADSL, 3G, 4G … The problem is that all these connections require cables or telephone lines so that the data can be transferred. On the contrary, not all regions have this necessary infrastructure. Either because they are difficult to access or because they are poorly inhabited, telecommunications operators have no profit in investing and carrying cables to these areas.

n these cases the solution may be on the internet via satellite. Internet satellites do not use telephone lines or cable systems, so they are ideal for those regions where cables do not reach. In theory, this type of connection can reach any part of the planet. However, as this service requires high technology, both in the user’s home and in space, its price becomes salty in relation to the values charged by other types of network connection.

What does it take to have broadband internet?

We already know that to have satellite internet is not necessary cables, nor a telephone line. But what do we need then? In addition to an internet satellite, of course, this type of connection requires a device in the user’s home, in order to convert the internet signal into data that the computer can interpret. In addition, two modems are required (one to send and one to receive data) and a mini satellite dish.

And how it works?

The functioning of the internet via satellite is similar to the common ADSL. But instead of the data passing through a path full of cables, they are accessed faster, since the satellite has a direct connection to the antenna that the user has at home. Communication for data transfer occurs from the client to the satellite and from the client to the server.As a picture is worth a thousand words, see below an infographic that explains in a very clear way the operation of satellite internet

1 – You access the Oficina da Net website.

2 – Modem 2 (which sends the data) processes your request and sends the information you want to access the site to the antenna.

3 – The antenna is responsible for transmitting the data to the satellite.

4 – The satellite receives the requisition

5 – The satellite then communicates with an antenna on Earth that will return the data you requested.

6 – Base antenna sends data from the site to the satellite that transmits the information to your antenna.

7 – Modem 1 (responsible for receiving the data) accepts this data and transmits it to your computer.

All this happens very quickly, but there are some situations that can interfere with the good performance of satellite Internet.

Problems

In addition to the salty price, satellite internet has other reasons that prevent it from becoming popular and become the choice even of those who would have access to other types of network. For example, any object that passes in front of your antenna will impair the performance of the connection. In addition, in the case of bad weather, the service is usually affected, with reduced performance and even disruption of service. But, it is also worth mentioning that the connection to the internet can present problems in any type of service.

Installation

All the necessary equipment for the installation of satellite internet, as well as the installation itself, are provided by the contracted internet provider, of course, with value even in the plan. In general, a technician usually takes 3 to 4 hours to finish the job.

And you, what do you think of satellite internet? Is it worth investing in this service?